Council Forms Task Force to Drive Sports Tourism, Create New Facilities and Improve Access

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 18, 2024

From the Offices of Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Will Jawando

Task force to conduct facility needs assessment, identify workforce development needs and assess ways to improve marketing and collaboration with outside groups in the sports industry

ROCKVILLE, Md., June 18, 2024—Today the Council approved a resolution to create the Montgomery County Sports Tourism Task Force. The mission of the task force is to promote sports tourism and increase capacity and access to sports facilities for residents. The joint Economic Development (ECON) and Education and Culture (EC) Committees spearheaded the effort.

"Sports tourism is a massive industry that has significant economic impacts in communities,” said Economic Development Committee Chair Natali Fani-González. “From job creation, spending in hotels and restaurants, and inspiring the next generation of athletes in our community. I'm excited that we are kicking off this task force and can't wait for its recommendations."

“Montgomery County has many youth and adult sports programs that need space for their program,” said Education and Culture Committee Chair Will Jawando. “The Sports Tourism Task Force is an opportunity to expand sports tourism in the county and to grow our workforce along with attracting special events to the county. The Task Force will play a crucial role in assessing and identifying facilities to expand what we offer in the county.”

Specifically, the group is tasked with:

• conducting a facility needs assessment, including assessing the viability of a multi-use facility that can increase sports capacity in the County and potentially serve as a facility for events like high school or Montgomery College graduations;
• identifying workforce development needs related to the sports tourism industry;
• assessing ways to improve marketing to outside groups and enhance the coordination of outside groups with sports facilities, equipment vendors, hotels, local businesses, and through supporting promotion of events; and
• exploring the potential economic and community impacts of attracting and recruiting a professional sports franchise to Montgomery County.

The idea to form the task force arose from a joint ECON and EC Committee meeting in February requested by Economic Development Committee Chair Natali Fani-González, where the committees heard from experts and representatives from Montgomery County’s sports tourism industry. The panelists described the variety of opportunities that the County has to promote sports tourism and increase capacity and access to sports facilities for existing residents.

The task force will provide interim reports on its progress at joint ECON and EC Committee worksessions and provide a final report with recommendations to the Council no later than June 2025.

The Task Force consists of the following experts in the sports industry and relevant agency leaders:

• Executive Director of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority (Chair)
• Executive Director of the Maryland Sports Commission
• Executive Director of the Maryland SoccerPlex
• President and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Montgomery
• Deputy Director (or designee) of the Montgomery County Parks Department
• Chair of the Montgomery County Sports Advisory Committee
• Montgomery County Public Schools Director of Systemwide Athletics
• Director (or designee) of the Montgomery County Department of Recreation

The Council resolution creating the Montgomery County Sports Tourism Task Force can be viewed here.   

# # #

Release ID: 24-234
Media Contact: Tommy Heyboer 240-777-7867, Michelle Whittaker 240-777-7972
Categories: Natali Fani-González, Will Jawando